Had I lingered in that layer of the Abyssal space and been ensnared, my clone would be toast. Xu Jingming was acutely aware of this fact. If he'd played the fool and met the incoming assaults head-on, he would have undoubtedly met his end in that overwhelming encirclement. The first wave alone comprised over 20 Abyss Overlords. Should he survive that, the second wave would likely bring a horde of 100 or more.
However, focusing on evasion had its perks. As a half-step third-realm titan of the Heart Realm lineage, bolstered by the synergy of dual schools of training, he was a tough nut for the Abyss Overlords to crack.
Indeed, those at the half-step third realm typically possessed robust means of survival.
The average Abyss Overlord boasted a series of clones. With one stationed in Feather Fire City, another in the Abyss, and more in various dominions, even a powerhouse from the Heart Realm lineage would need months to hunt them down. Thus, exterminating an Abyss Overlord was no small feat.
…
I'm back. Xu Jingming zipped through layers, arriving back at Myriad Star Island in a swift five-day journey.
His haul this time was hefty, making it prudent to return with his hard-won spoils.
Parading around the Abyss with such valuable loot, only to have it snatched by some formidable adversary, would be an invitation for regret.
Boom!
Striding into Myriad Star Island's treasure vault, Xu Jingming offloaded the vast assortment of items he'd collected from the Abyss over the years. These were all communal assets, part of humanity's shared treasure trove.
Without a doubt, Xu Jingming would keep the third-realm weapons and the Spirit Cleansing Iceberg on his person. He even planned to purchase a third-realm psychic spear.
"Jingming, did you haul back all these treasures from the Abyss?" The dean, Tower Master, Island Lord, and Redmond rushed over, alerted by the vault's opening. The five of them each held the keys to the race's treasure vault.
"Just some trinkets I picked up while wandering the Abyss. Not much use to us, but invaluable to lower-dimensional beings," Xu Jingming replied casually, grinning as he tossed out a heap of corpses.
Whether dispatched by the illusory realm or a psychic weapon, their bodies remained intact. Conversely, very few of the Abyss demons incinerated by the Black Lotus Fire left behind any remains.
"What are these?"
The dean, Tower Master, Island Lord, and Redmond gaped at the mound of corpses in disbelief. Hundreds of Abyssal Demon bodies lay heaped in the treasure vault, two of them exuding particularly menacing auras. The residual energy they emitted sent a jolt of fear through the group.
"I've been traveling the Abyss for over a century, exploring innumerable Abyssal spaces," Xu Jingming explained. "Many of these demons have lost their minds to the Abyss's corruption. When they come at me, I have no choice but to take them down."
"The weaker ones are toast to the Black Lotus Fire. These are the ones with formidable bodies, impervious to the Black Lotus Fire. All I could do was annihilate their minds, leaving their bodies intact," Xu Jingming elaborated.
The inferno of the Nine-leaf Black Lotus Realm couldn't singe an Abyssal demon like Natuo. This forced Xu Jingming to resort to the illusory realm or psychic weapon.
"You felled so many powerful demons?" Redmond was flabbergasted.
"It's not much—just a few Abyssal demons a year, on average," Xu Jingming replied nonchalantly. "You can't fathom how vast the Abyss is, teeming with these critters."
"Are these two Abyss Overlords?" The dean gestured towards the two Abyss Overlord clones.
Xu Jingming nodded. "I was a century into my Abyssal exploration when I stumbled upon a massive treasure. This triggered a brawl with several Abyss Overlords. I took out two of their clones. No need for worry; they wouldn't dare venture into our territory. The moment they show up, I'll sniff them out and squash each one that dares."
The dean, Tower Master, Island Lord, and Redmond exchanged glances. Their comrade was indeed a formidable force among half-step third-realm powerhouses!
"The corpses are pretty much useless. Disassemble them as you wish," Xu Jingming instructed. "Try to extract as much value as you can from them."
"You're just going to disregard the corpses of hundreds of peak Eternal demons and two Abyss Overlord clones." The Tower Master shook his head in disbelief. "Don't sweat it. I'll take care of the disassembly. I'll make sure they're put to good use."
Xu Jingming tallied up his loot. "Over a century of hunting Abyssal demons, and I've only netted 30 to 50 drops of Abyssal Mother Blood."
It was an inescapable fact: most Abyssal demons were broke! Any gains from the Abyss Sacrifice were swiftly consumed on their own needs. The two or three Eternal weapons they carried were virtually worthless.
"The real jackpot was the Abyss Overlords. A Spirit Cleansing Iceberg and a third-realm weapon alone are worth at least 150 drops of Abyssal Mother Blood." Xu Jingming was quite chuffed. He had been itching to buy a third-realm psychic spear for some time.
"Didn't you mention wanting to spend 300 to 400 years in the Abyss?" the dean queried.
"I've left some clones behind in the Abyss," Xu Jingming explained. He had only brought back a fraction of his clones and treasures. His primary objectives in the Abyss were to study it to better understand the Abyssal Void legacy and to witness the blossoming of the Abyssal Red Lotus.
…
Within the ranks of the Cosmic Human Alliance.
Why has there been such a spike in Abyssal treasures on the official credit exchange? The supply is tenfold from the last time. Many Origin lifeforms were left scratching their heads upon viewing the exchange list.
Is the human race facing another peril, looking to cultivate more Origin lifeforms? These Origin lifeforms speculated.
"Don't jump to conclusions. The World Lord is currently on an Abyssal expedition, amassing a wealth of resources from the Abyss," a frosty youth commented. He was none other than Scarletjade Swordcrow, one of the 15 cosmic legends of the human race.
"The World Lord is exploring the Abyss?" This revelation gave many Origin lifeforms food for thought.
The human race now boasted four Paramounts—the dean, Tower Master, Island Lord, and World Lord.
World Lord… That was Wu Ming, founder of one of the four most formidable factions, the Mind World.
Origin lifeforms had ceased to address Xu Jingming by his name. After all, he was a half-step third-realm entity, the mightiest among humans.
"I heard the Abyss is teeming with untold dangers, but to a being as formidable as the World Lord, it's like a walk in the park, effortlessly accumulating a wealth of resources."
"I heard the World Lord can glimpse the past and future, predicting any impending danger. So, what's the big deal about him exploring the Abyss?" These Origin lifeforms gossiped, swelling with pride over the World Lord.
The Void Celestials once reveled in Gumo's glory.
It was the same for the human race. They basked in the grandeur of their half-step third-realm Heart Realm World Lord, Wu Ming.
…
After his windfall with the Spirit Cleansing Iceberg, Xu Jingming's luck seemed to have run dry. He continued his journey through the layers of Abyssal space, secreting his clone in the Heart Realm close to the Abyss Red Lotus, biding his time.
At long last, the Abyss Red Lotus matured. Xu Jingming's clones had already convened in anticipation, eager to witness the spectacle of its blossoming.
